Would Broncos Decker fit Chargers?

Whether it's the Broncos or another team writing the checks, Eric Decker should soon command a big raise on his recent $1.3 million salary owing to his free agency and 24 touchdown catches over the last two seasons.

Chargers coach Mike McCoy was a Broncos assistant for three of Decker’s four seasons, most recently in 2012 when Decker’s 13 touchdowns placed third in the NFL.

McCoy could use such a powerful receiver in the red zone, a soft realm for the Chargers. If the Broncos do not secure Decker by March 11, Tom Telesco would have the chance to try to reunite the 26-year-old receiver with McCoy.

The question is, should he do so?

I doubt it, considering the Chargers are tight against the salary cap and Decker seemingly would want a mountain of cash to leave a Super Bowl contender. The Broncos, meantime, are about $11 million under the cap, ESPN reports.

Decker, 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, would give the Chargers a large bookend to Keenan Allen and a forceful blocker who is effective running with quick screen passes. As well, he is a fair backup punt returner who took a Mike Scifres liner 47 yards in the Divisional Playoff game last month.

A severe foot injury suffered in his final season at the University of Minnesota may have contributed to Decker falling to the draft’s third round, the same round Telesco chose Allen last April as he recovered from a knee injury. Durable now -- were that Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin as durable as Decker, drafted as a center fielder by the Brewers -- he played all 19 games this season and postseason.

With Decker and Demaryius Thomas on their rookie contracts and both returning huge performances above cost, Denver went 26-6 the last two seasons.

Decker was a B+ performer next to A-performing Thomas – 95 catches to 120, 1,399 yards receiving to 1,736, a 62.5 percent catch rate to 68.2 percent and 11 TDs to 13. (Totals are over the recent 19 games.)

Now comes Decker’s financial reward: a second contract that could pay him several million dollars per year. Good for him, not as good for whoever employs him, I suspect.

Other than Denver and perhaps New England, where he would play for the man who drafted him, Patriots playcaller Josh McDaniels, San Diego may offer his best football fit, given McCoy’s presence, Philip Rivers’ prowess and his AFC West pedigree.

But this doesn’t seem to set up as a chance to improve one’s own team while weakening a rival, as Denver did last offseason when it signed Louis Vasquez and Shaun Phillips. Then, the Broncos entered the offseason with about $11 million more in cap space than the Chargers.

Even with deep receiver classes in both free agency and the upcoming draft, Decker figures to be too expensive for the Chargers. The Broncos have Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker under contract, along with Pro Bowl tight end Julius Thomas. A team like the Jets may try to overpay him.